Directions & Maps

TRANSPORT AND ACCESS

Most international flights to South Africa arrive at O R Tambo International Airport (ORTIA) (formally Johannesburg International). From there you can get to Mopane Bush Lodge by one of the following:

- Rent a car (most international car hire firms are present at ORTIA) and drive the 5½ hours journey to the lodge. The roads are safe & good, paved all the way to our entrance gate, such that a small saloon car will handle the trip well.

- Arranging a meet & greet and transfer to the lodge by a reliable transfer company.
We can arrange this for you.

- Fly to Gateway International Airport at Polokwane:

Request us to arrange a greeting and transfer to the lodge by a transfer company or a transfer by us. This will need to be booked beforehand and will be charged extra.

Rent a car: Here some of the major car hire firms have representation.
Then drive for about 2 hours to the lodge on safe & good roads. If you take this option drive out of the airport turn right at the traffic lights and again at the next lights. Travel for about 2 km and turn right at the next traffic lights onto the R521 road to Dendron, Vivo and Alldays. Follow the directions as if from Johannesburg.

Johannesburg & Pretoria

Travel on the N1 North highway out of Johannesburg, which goes round the East of Pretoria. Travel on this highway for about 300km to Polokwane (Pietersburg), through four tolls, totalling about R100. We suggest that the best place to stop for fuel and a snack is Star Stop – The Ranch, 20 km before Polokwane

At the entrance to Polokwane turn left, at the large traffic circle, into Nelson Mandela Drive. Follow this road round the town to the seventh traffic light, where you turn right at the sign showing to the R521 Dendron (Mogwadi). At the next traffic light turn left and you are on the R521 to Dendron (Mogwadi) & Alldays.

Proceed along this road for 140 km, past Dendron (Mogwadi) and Vivo to Alldays. We recommend you observe the speed limits in these three towns. At the stop sign in Alldays turn right and proceed towards Pontdrif. At 46 km from Alldays turn right onto the R572 to Mapungubwe and Musina.

Mopane Bush Lodge is 29 km along the R572 on the right, just past the cell phone tower. Turn onto the gravel road to the gate. Open the gate by pushing the button on the pole under the light. Follow signs to Mopane Bush Lodge. There is about 3 km of gravel road to the lodge.

Total distance from Johannesburg to Mopane Bush Lodge is about 540 km.

Kruger National Park Pafuri Gate

Leave Pafuri Gate heading for Tshipise on the R525. Just after the Aventura Tshipise Hot Springs resort on the left side, turn right onto the R508 to Musina.

In Musina proceed to the T junction with the N1. Here, turn right and go through the town towards Beit Bridge. There are 4 stop streets to negotiate before you exit Musina on the Beit Bridge road. At the end of the houses on the left is the R572 to Mapungubwe and Pontdrif. Turn left onto the R572, travel 60km and Mopane Bush Lodge is on the left side. Turn onto the gravel road to the gate. Open the gate by pushing the button on the pole under the light. Follow signs to Mopane Bush Lodge. There is about 3 km of gravel road to the lodge.

Total distance from Pafuri Gate to Mopane Bush Lodge is about 200km.

Musina and the N1

The N1 highway starts in Cape Town and ends at Beit Bridge on the border with Zimbabwe. Travel North on N1 to Musina. Go through the town towards Beit Bridge.

There are 4 stop streets to negotiate before you exit Musina on the Beit Bridge road. At the end of the houses on the left is the R572 to Mapungubwe and Pontdrif.

Turn left onto the R572, travel 60km and Mopane Bush Lodge is on the left side. Turn onto the gravel road to the gate. Open the gate by pushing the button on the pole under the light. Follow signs to Mopane Bush Lodge. There is about 3 km of gravel road to the lodge.

Pilanesburg, Sun City and Rustenburg

Take the R510 North out of Rustenburg to Thabazimbi, Lephalale & Monte Cristo. At Monte Cristo take the R572 to Tom Burke and on to Alldays. At the stop sign in Alldays turn left onto the R521 to Pontdrif. 46 km from Alldays turn right onto the R572 to Mapungubwe and Musina.

Mopane Bush Lodge is 29 km along the R572 on the right just past the cell phone tower. Turn onto the gravel road to the gate. Open the gate by pushing the button on the pole under the light. Follow signs to Mopane Bush Lodge. There is about 3 km of gravel road to the lodge.

Botswana and Pontdrif

Pass through the border post at Pontdrif. Remember this border post is open only from 08h00 to 16h00 daily. Also, if the Limpopo River is flowing, you may not be able to cross at Pontdrif as there is no bridge. The road crosses the river bed.

Travel 11 km from Pontdrif towards Alldays to the R572 road to Mapungubwe and Musina. Turn left onto the R572, travel 29km and Mopane Bush Lodge is on the right side right just past the cell phone tower. Turn onto the gravel road to the gate. Open the gate by pushing the button on the pole under the light. Follow signs to Mopane Bush Lodge. There is about 3 km of gravel road to the lodge.

Distance from Pontdrif to Mopane Bush Lodge is 42 km.

FROM FRANCISTOWN and BOTSWANA TO MOPANE BUSH LODGE:

Mopane Bush Lodge is in South Africa opposite the area in Botswana known as Tuli. The direct route is through Tuli and across the border at Pontdrif. However, the vehicle crossing is driving through the river bed of the Limpopo River. This can only be done when the river is either dry or very low. This is usually in the months from about May through to November. Otherwise, the border crossing has to be done at Platjan, where there is a low level bridge, or if the Limpopo River is flooding, the crossing has to be done at Martins Drift, where there is a high level bridge.Before you depart from Francistown, establish the level of flow in the Limpopo River and select the route most appropriate for the conditions.Further the border gate at Pontdrif is open only from 08h00 to 16h00 and at Platjan from 06h00 to 18h00. The border at Martins Drift is open 24 hours. Pontdrif border telephone: +27 15 575 1561 Platjan border telephone: +27 15 575 1040

To go via Pontdrift from Francistown travel via Serule to Selebe Phikwe and on to Mathathane via Sefophe and Bobonong. Just afterward turn left onto a gravel road toward Matlabaneng, which goes onto Pontdrif. Distances are Francistown to Serule 85km, Serule to Selebi Phikwe 60km, Selebi Phikwe to Sefophe 27km, Sefophe to Bobonong 51km, Bobonong to Mathlabaneng via Mathathane 69km and Mathlabaneng to Pont Drift 35km. Distance from Pontdrif to Mopane Bush Lodge is 42 km.On leaving Pontdrif, travel 11 km to the R572 road to Mapungubwe and Musina. Turn left onto the R572, travel 29km and Mopane Bush Lodge is on the right side just past the cell phone tower. Turn onto the gravel road to the gate. Open the gate by pushing the button on the pole under the light. Follow signs to Mopane Bush Lodge. There is about 3 km of gravel road to the lodge.

To go via Platjan from Francistown, travel to Serule, Selebe Phikwe, Sefophe, Bobonong and on to Mathathane as described in the Pontdrift route. Continue straight on beyond Mathathane to Lekkerpoot before turning right onto the gravel Tuli Block road and 20km on, turn left to Platjan, which is another 5km to the border. On leaving Platjan, turn left towards Alldays. Travel for 38km on gravel road to the T junction on the R572, turn left towards Alldays. At the Stop in Alldays turn left, travel for 46km and then turn right on the R572 (again) towards Mapungubwe and Musina. Travel 29km and Mopane Bush Lodge is on the right side right just past the cell phone tower. Turn onto the gravel road to the gate. Open the gate by pushing the button on the pole under the light. Follow signs to Mopane Bush Lodge. There is about 3 km of gravel road to the lodge.
Distance from Platjan to Mopane Bush Lodge is 118km.

Zimbabawe and Beit Bridge

Leave Beit Bridge travelling South on the N1. At the entrance to Musina, about 10km from Beit Bridge, is the R572 road to Pontdrif & Mapungubwe on the right side.

Turn right onto the R572, travel 60km and Mopane Bush Lodge is on the left side. Turn onto the gravel road to the gate. Open the gate by pushing the button on the pole under the light. Follow signs to Mopane Bush Lodge. There is about 3 km of gravel road to the lodge.

MAP

These are recommended routes that could be used by guests travelling to Mopane Bush Lodge as part of an extended tour. All five of these routes utilize good quality tarred roads.

Limpopo Province

This map of the Limpopo province shows the location of Mapungubwe National Park and Mopane Bush Lodge in the extreme North of South Africa and the Limpopo Province, west of Musina. There a number of recommended routes that could be used by guests traveling to our lodge as part of a tour, and which give different experiences of the Province. All these 5 routes are using good quality tarred roads which can be driven in normal saloon cars.

The N1 Route:

This is along the N1 from Johannesburg & Pretoria, going all the way up to Musina and then on the R572 to the lodge. Along this route, guests could stop off at Madi a Thavha Mountain Lodge (www.madiathavha.com), near Louis Trichardt. The pass over the mountains just North of Louis Trichardt is spectacular and it is followed by traveling through tunnels and Wyllies Poort. The road on to Musina passes many magnificent baobabs on the roadside. This route has 6 tolls along the way.

The Kruger Route:

Guests who travel to the Kruger National Park should visit the Northern end of the park where the concentration of tourists is much less and the herds of game are much bigger. If you stay the last night at Shingwedzi Camp and leave after breakfast, you can view the Punda Maria Camp and the Pafuri Picnic site areas and still arrive at Mopane Bush Lodge in time for tea and a walk on Mapesu Nature Reserve, before sundowners & dinner.

The Blouberg Route:

This is the route recommended to South African guests who are making Mopane Bush Lodge their destination. On the way one can stay at Leshiba Wilderness in the Soutpansberg Mountains (www.leshiba.co.z), just to the East of Vivo. This route is the shortest and quickest route from Johannesburg to Mopane Bush Lodge.

The Waterberg Route:

This route takes in the Waterberg and the possibility of Marakele National Park. A suitable lodge on the way is Kololo Game Reserve (www.kololo.co.za), where one can see the “big five” in the Welgevonden Game reserve. This is a very quiet route with little traffic.

The Kruger Alternative:

For those who wish to only experience the Northern end of Kruger, this route takes in Tzaneen and Phalaborwa. The route from Shingwedzi Camp then applies.